Amazing apple pie cookies: 30 min joy

Oh, you are going to FALL IN LOVE with these apple pie cookies! Seriously, if you’re like me, maybe you remember a time when the kitchen felt a little… overwhelming? I get it. My own journey from being totally stressed out by cooking to finding pure joy and peace in it started with something simple, much like this recipe. I was looking for that cozy, comforting taste of apple pie, but in a format that felt… well, easier for a busy weeknight or a fun weekend project. That’s how these little bites of heaven came to be! They capture all that warm, spiced goodness without needing a whole pie crust. It’s all about that approachable flavor and making something truly special that you’ll be so proud to share, just like Alex talks about on Pure Cooking Joy. Trust me, these are a game-changer!

Why You’ll Adore These Apple Pie Cookies

Okay, why are these so fantastic? Well, let me tell you:

• Super Easy to Make: Seriously, the dough comes together fast, and no fancy pie skills needed!
• Tastes Like Real Apple Pie: We get that warm, spiced apple goodness in every single bite. It’s pure comfort!
• Perfect for Fall (and Every Day!): They’re ideal for your autumn baking, but honestly, they’re great anytime you need a little happy treat.
• Brings So Much Joy: Baking these just makes you feel good, and sharing them? That’s the best part!

Gather Your Ingredients for Perfect Apple Pie Cookies

Alright, let’s get our baking station ready! To whip up these wonderfully comforting apple pie cookies, you’ll need a few things. Don’t worry, nothing too crazy or hard to find – just simple pantry staples that work magic together.

For the Cookies:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (Make sure it’s nice and soft, not melted!)
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Filling (aka The Apple Pie Magic!):

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (Yep, more butter! It’s key for that smooth frosting.)
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted (Sifting helps get rid of lumps!)
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon apple pie spice (This is where the cozy flavor really comes in!)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For Decoration (Optional, but fun!):

• Piping bags and round piping tips (For that cute, piped border!)
• Cinnamon sugar for sprinkling (Always a good idea!)

Crafting Your Delicious Apple Pie Cookies: Step-by-Step

Alright, let’s get our hands a little floured and make some magic happen! Making these apple pie cookies is really straightforward, and honestly, it’s the fun part. Just follow along, and you’ll have the most amazing cookies that taste just like a slice of pie.

Preparing the Cookie Dough for Your Apple Pie Cookies

First things first, we need our cookie dough. Grab your mixer – a stand mixer makes this super easy, but a hand mixer works great too! Cream together that softened butter and sugar until it looks pale and fluffy, almost like whipped cream. Then, crack in your eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Don’t forget that splash of vanilla! In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, and salt. Now, slowly add that dry stuff to your wet ingredients, just mixing until it all comes together. Don’t overmix! Divide the dough in half, pat each half into a flat disc, wrap ‘em up tight in plastic wrap, and into the fridge they go. They need at least 30 minutes to chill; this makes them so much easier to roll out later and gives you those nice, clean cut-outs!

Shaping and Baking the Perfect Apple Pie Cookies

Once your dough is nicely chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F (that’s 175°C). Get your baking sheets ready with some parchment paper – this makes cleanup a breeze and stops cookies from sticking like glue. Lightly flour your counter or a big cutting board, and take out one disc of dough. Roll it out to about ¼-inch thick. Now for the fun part: cookie cutters! Use whatever shapes you love – maybe little apples or classic circles for these apple pie cookies. Gently place your cut-out cookies onto the prepared baking sheets. Pop them into the hot oven for about 8 to 10 minutes. You’ll know they’re ready when the edges look just a little bit golden. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before carefully moving them to a wire rack to cool completely. Patience here is key for perfect frosting!

Creating the Spiced Apple Filling and Frosting

While those beautiful cookies are cooling, let’s whip up the filling that gives these their famous apple pie flavor! It’s basically a super simple buttercream with a delicious twist. In your mixer again, beat that other cup of softened butter until it’s really creamy. Then, gradually add your powdered sugar (it’s best if it’s sifted first so there aren’t any lumps!), the applesauce, that lovely apple pie spice, and another little bit of vanilla. Beat it all together until it’s super smooth and fluffy. This is going to smell amazing, trust me! You’ll want to pop this into a piping bag for the next step, so have a round tip ready.

Assembling and Decorating Your Apple Pie Cookies

Now for the grand finale – putting it all together! Take your cooled cookies. On half of them, use your piping bag to pipe a nice little border of that apple pie frosting all the way around the edge. Think of it like a little dam to hold in the filling! Then, right in the middle of that border, spoon or pipe a generous dollop of that same spiced filling. It’s like a mini apple pie waiting to happen! Carefully take another cooled cookie and place it on top, gently pressing down so the frosting seals everything together. You can dust them with a little cinnamon sugar for that extra touch, or get creative with more piping if you like – making these really special, hand decorated cookies is part of the joy!

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Tips for Baking Flawless Apple Pie Cookies

Alright, let’s talk about making these apple pie cookies absolutely perfect. Even though they’re super simple, a few little tricks can make them even better and help you feel like a total baking rockstar! Think of these as your secret weapons for cookie success.

• Keep That Dough Chilled! This is my biggest tip, seriously. If your dough feels soft when you’re trying to roll it out, just pop it back in the fridge for another 15-20 minutes. Cold dough is way easier to work with, it doesn’t spread as much in the oven, and you get those super crisp edges and shapes.
• Don’t Skip the Frosting Border: That little ring of frosting is more than just pretty; it’s crucial for keeping the apple pie filling inside. Make sure it’s a solid border so nothing oozes out when you press the cookies together.
• Watch ‘Em Closely in the Oven: Baking times can vary a bit depending on your oven. Keep an eye on those edges – you just want a light golden color. Overbaking can make them too crispy and dry, and we want that tender, cookie-pie texture!
• Cool Completely Before Frosting: I know, waiting is the hardest part! But if you try to frost warm cookies, that delicious buttercream will melt into a gooey mess. Let them cool all the way down on a wire rack so the frosting stays put.

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Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Your Apple Pie Cookies

Okay, let’s chat about a couple of things in these apple pie cookies that you might have questions about. Don’t worry, it’s all pretty simple, and we can totally swap things out if needed!

For that amazing apple pie filling, the unsweetened applesauce is key. It gives us that lovely moistness and a subtle apple flavor without making the frosting too thin. If you absolutely can’t find unsweetened, you could try regular, but maybe cut back on the powdered sugar just a tiny bit. As for the apple pie spice, if you don’t have a pre-made blend, you can totally make your own! Just mix about 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of ground cloves. It’s a little kitchen magic, and it works beautifully.

Frequently Asked Questions About Apple Pie Cookies

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Storing and Reheating Your Delicious Apple Pie Cookies

So, you actually have leftover apple pie cookies? Wow, color me impressed! If you manage to save some of these little gems from disappearing too quickly, storing them is super simple. Just make sure they’ve completely cooled down first. Then, pop them into an airtight container. They’ll stay perfectly fresh and delicious on the counter at room temperature for about 3 to 4 days. Honestly, I’ve never had them last much longer than that! You don’t even need to worry about the fridge for these; they’re happiest at room temp where they keep that lovely soft texture.

Nutritional Information for Apple Pie Cookies

Now, we all love a good cookie, right? But it’s always helpful to have a general idea of what’s in our treats. For these delightful apple pie cookies, one cookie is estimated to have about 250 calories. You’ll find around 12g of fat, with about 7g of that being saturated fat, and about 1g of fiber. Plus, there’s about 3g of protein and roughly 35g of carbohydrates, with about 25g of sugar. Keep in mind, these numbers are just estimates, and they can change a bit depending on exactly how you make them or any little tweaks you add!

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Share Your Apple Pie Cookie Creations!

I would absolutely LOVE to see your amazing apple pie cookies! Did you try a special cookie cutter shape? How did they turn out? Please, please leave a comment below and tell me all about it! And if you snap a picture of your beautiful hand decorated cookies, tag me on social media. It really makes my day to see your baking successes and share that pure cooking joy with you!

Apple Pie Sugar Cookies

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Enjoy the comforting flavors of apple pie in a delightful sugar cookie. These cookies are perfect for fall baking and feature a spiced apple filling and a sweet buttercream frosting.

• Author: purejoyalex
• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Total Time: 40 min
• Yield: 24 cookies 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• For the Filling:
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 teaspoon apple pie spice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• For Decoration:
• Piping bags
• Round piping tips
• Optional: Cinnamon sugar for dusting

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Instructions

1. Cream together 1 cup softened butter and 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
2. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
5. Divide the dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 30 minutes.
6. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to about 1/4-inch thickness.
8. Cut out shapes using cookie cutters. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheets.
9. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Let cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. While the cookies cool, prepare the frosting. Beat 1 cup softened butter until creamy.
11. Gradually add 3 cups powdered sugar, 1/4 cup applesauce, 1 teaspoon apple pie spice, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and fluffy.
12. Transfer frosting to piping bags fitted with round tips.
13. Pipe a border of frosting on half of the cooled cookies.
14. Fill the center of the border with a dollop of apple pie spiced frosting.
15. Top with the remaining cookies, gently pressing to seal.
16. Decorate as desired, perhaps with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.

Notes

• For a pie spatula cookie effect, use a small spatula-shaped cookie cutter.
• You can also use a simple apple pie spice blend for the filling.
• Chill the dough thoroughly for easier handling and cleaner cut-outs.
• These cookies are a wonderful addition to any fall gathering or holiday cookie exchange.
• Consider using a meal planning service to simplify your baking schedule.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 250
• Sugar: 25g
• Sodium: 80mg
• Fat: 12g
• Saturated Fat: 7g
• Unsaturated Fat: 5g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 35g
• Fiber: 1g
• Protein: 3g
• Cholesterol: 40mg